Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a method of forming a laminate countertop and, in particular, to a method of forming a laminate countertop having a curved edge profile extending around at least two adjacent sides of the countertop.
Description of Related Art
Countertops for kitchens, bars, workspaces, desks, and bathrooms can be made from a variety of natural and synthetic materials including natural stones, engineered stone and synthetic solid surface materials, and laminated constructions. Luxury and high-end installations often use natural stones, such as granite or marble, as such materials are believed to be more aesthetically pleasing than manmade alternatives. Countertops formed from synthetic solid surface materials such as engineered stone or Corian® manufactured by E.I. DuPont are also available at similar high-end price points. Solid surface materials are synthetic composite materials formed from a combination of natural stone dust (e.g., marble dust), acrylic polymers, epoxy or polyester resins, and similar materials. It is often used to produce a seamless countertop. For example, Corian® is a solid surface material formed from a cured mixture of acrylic polymer and alumina derived from, for example, bauxite ore.
Natural stone and solid surface countertops are generally believed to be more durable than laminate materials. In addition, natural stone and solid surface materials can also be molded or carved with a variety of ornate edge shapes which are also desired by consumers. For example, natural stone countertops are cut from stone slabs using computer controlled cutting machinery, as is known in the art. The computer-controlled machinery is capable of carving complex curved edge profiles on edges of the countertop. Countertops formed from synthetic solid surface materials can also be made with curved edge profiles, which can be formed by carving the synthetic solid surface material or by molding the curved edge profile during production of the synthetic material. Advantageously, carved or molded decorative edges can extend around adjacent sides of the countertop to create more aesthetically pleasing designs.
Construction grade and lower priced installations often use laminate countertops formed by laminating a curable resin sheet to a wood board or a wood composite substrate to form a countertop. Beneficially, such laminate countertops are easy to clean, generally non-porous to avoid staining, and can be manufactured in a wide variety of colors and texture patterns. Laminate countertops have been available for many years from numerous sources including The Diller Corporation under the Formica® brand name and WilsonArt Engineered Surfaces. Exemplary laminate countertops are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,443 to Jaisle et al. entitled “Decorative Laminates and Method of Producing the Same” and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,577 to Douglas et al. entitled “Process for Fabricating Countertops”, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
While laminate countertops are available in colors and designs which are made to resemble natural stone, several significant differences between natural or synthetic stone material countertops and laminate countertops mean that consumers can easily identify laminate countertops from more expensive alternatives. One obvious difference between laminate countertops and more expensive alternatives is the appearance of the edges of the countertop. Conventional laminate countertops are formed with a curved edge profile along a longitudinal side thereof. For example, a laminate countertop can be formed by forming a substrate or base support with the decorative curved edge profile and then adhering a flexible sheet of curable resin to the substrate such that the sheet presses against and adopts the curved edge profile of the longitudinal sides. However, due to the natural bend and flexibility of the sheet, the sheet cannot be bent over latitudinal sides of the base support. As such, latitudinal sides of laminate countertops are generally flat vertical surfaces covered by a separate piece of laminate material. The differences in edge profile between latitudinal and longitudinal sides of a countertop are especially noticeable for kitchen islands and similar structures which are positioned in a center of a room where all four sides of the countertop are easily visible.
For these reasons, there is a need for new laminate countertops and methods of forming laminate countertops that closely resemble more expensive natural stone and solid surface material alternatives. In particular, processes for constructing laminate countertops with color patterns and edge profiles that resemble natural stone would be desired by many consumers. The manufacturing methods and laminate countertops disclosed herein are configured to address these issues.